Bellow

A meditative installation and performance work for automated and live performers which explores the large scale rhythmic structures unfolding within the intricate karst system beneath the surface of the Meander Valley

Artist notes

In 2015 I undertook a residency at Mole Creek Caves where I spent a lot of the four weeks sitting in the dark, listening to and recording a variety of wet gurgly sounds. I became particularly interested in the slowly evolving and phasing patterns of drips between stalactites and stalagmites – a hypnotic musical structure that unfolds over thousands of years.

In 2016 I returned to the Meander Valley – this time above ground – to start work on a project for 10 Days on the Island using the beautiful old pipe organ in the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Westbury. I felt there was something very cave like about the organ with its pipe formations, cavernous insides, and the dark meditative atmosphere of the church, and so I decided to revisit some of the ideas around drip patterns that I had been exploring the previous year .

To recreate the rhythmic framework of the caves, I built a sculptural irrigation system which slowly drips water at adjustable rates onto a number of small sensors. The pulses created by the drips are used to create the patterns of sound and light and to trigger the automated fingers that play the organ. They also inform other aspects of the work such as pitch content, durations and waveforms of the electronic tones. Like in a cave, macro and micro structures are being created, drip by drip in front of the audiences eyes.

The structure also allows for interaction with live instruments and performers. On Tuesday 22, there will be a special event featuring soprano Grace Ovens , who will enter the work for one night for a durational performance conducted by light. It begins at 8pm and the audience is invited to stay for any duration of time.

Sincere thanks to Father Richard Ross and the congregation at Holy Trinity Catholic Church for their time and assistance getting the work up and running.